co-founder of the Institute for Circular Economy
We are eager to introduce our next speaker from the Independent Living section, Svetoslav Stoykov, who holds a breakthrough vision of modern economy and supports the regenerative way of living. He has a deep interest in the intersection of nature, energy efficiency, architecture and sustainability. With years of experience gained from both academia and industry, within the fields of sustainable development, sustainable architecture, energy efficiency, biomimicry and engineering, he has been active in several biomimicry R&D projects, as well as, in number of projects concerned with energy efficiency and sustainability in public, commercial, and industrial premises. Svetoslav is co-founder of the Bulgarian NGO “Institute for Circular Economy”.
Let’s find out what he has shared with us in our interview:
Who are you?
I am a person of many faces – research & development scientist, energy efficiency engineer, biomimeticist, but first and foremost, just one of the myriad complex organisms on the planet striving to find a way to live in accordance with the natural principles governing the world around us.
Why did you decide to join the speakers’ line-up of LibertyBits conference?
I decided to speak at this year’s LibertyBits conference due to my long-term interest in one of its key focus areas – Independent Living. LibertyBits is trying to introduce to its audience various aspects of what independent living might mean in our modern age. Thus, I would like to lead a discussion on the future of buildings in the age of Anthropocene, and how autonomous from established structures we could actually be in this basic human need – sheltering our bodies from the elements.
What is your understanding of “liberty” (freedom) and what are the most underestimated threats to our modern society according to you?
When I think of freedom, one of the first things that crosses my mind is this quote by Robert Heinlein:
“I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.”
Robert Heinlein
This is how I understand freedom – having the power to create the society you want to live in. I personally think that holding the false belief that we don’t have the power to change the system, that we as society have collectively created is the biggest threat to humankind.
What is the most fascinating or inspiring thing about independent living?
It really matters from which angle we look at the question. If I look at it from my ivory tower it is the perspective of designing and building homes, neighborhoods, and whole cities as regenerative as possible, with positive net effect on the local condition.
Which risks should a person take into consideration if opting for independent living?
The major risk for a person is to be taken for lunatic from the society. If this is bad or not is up to the individual to decide. The question that we should all ask is: Who I want to be, and what impact I want to make? Answering it as honestly as possible could give you the power to be the lunatic you naturally are.
What are your expectations of the conference?
To meet open-minded people, who are ready to listen, discuss, and take into account diverse points of view. I will be interested to see how my vision for the future of the building industry corresponds with that of the attendees.
Many thanks for your valuable insights, Svetoslav! As lunatic as we too may seem to many, we at LibertyBits totally agree with you about this false belief, society continues to hold onto, and namely that we don’t have the power to change the system. It is actually one of our main goals to prove the contrary. Thanks to people like you, we feel more confident that we are on the right path, making one good step further. We are curious to find out what you have to share with us about the future of buildings, the circular economy concept and what each of us can do to make it all work.
Dear readers, if you too would like to join our LibertyBits community, don’t miss the opportunity to reserve your seat here below!
#LibertyBits2019 is taking place on 25th June 2019 at Sofia Tech Park
Take the chance and reserve your seat A.S.A.P. for the second edition of LibertyBits Conference here: